Chicago Cubs vs
Cleveland GuardiansPredictions & Preview

Cubs to Face Guardians in Second Game of Series, Cleveland Opens as Home Favorite

On Tuesday night, the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Guardians will face off in the second game of a three-game series at Progressive Field. Javier Assad with a 3.24 ERA will be the starting pitcher for the Cubs, while the Guardians have yet to announce their starter. The game is set to start at 6:40 PM ET, with Cleveland opening as the home favorite. The current betting line has Cleveland at -136.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Cubs +124 | Guardians -136
• Spread: Cubs +1.5 (-175) | Guardians -1.5 (+153)
• Total: Over/Under 8.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Cleveland will win straight-up is 58%.

Chicago vs Cleveland Stats

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have announced Javier Assad as the probable starter for the second game of the upcoming series. Assad recently pitched four innings in his last start, allowing two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out one. Although he did not factor into the decision, Assad has been effective on the mound with a 3.24 ERA and 1.36 WHIP this season. The Cubs are closely monitoring his workload as he transitions from a reliever to a starter this year. Despite being buried in the National League Central, the Cubs have won five consecutive games and are slowly improving, making them contenders for a wild-card spot. Their offense ranks 20th, averaging 4.23 runs per game, while their defense ranks 9th, allowing an average of 4.14 runs per game. Overall, the Cubs hold a 59-61 record for the season.

Cleveland Guardians Analysis

Cleveland Guardians have yet to name a starter for the second game of their interleague series. The team holds a 3.5-game lead over second-place Minnesota in the American League Central after splitting a recent series. They will be relying on right-hander Ben Lively, who has a 3.59 ERA, to pitch on Monday. Lively's recent performance was not as strong as he allowed four runs in his last outing. The Guardians initially had Lively listed as the starter for Tuesday but may opt for a bullpen game instead. Despite some losses after the All-Star break, the Guardians still maintain a lead over the Royals and Twins in the division standings. Their offensive and defensive rankings are strong, but they will need to bounce back from recent defeats against Chicago.

Cubs Have Advantage Over Struggling Guardians in Interleague Series

Cleveland has not yet announced a starting pitcher for the second game of the interleague series. Despite leading the American League Central division by 3.5 games over the Twins, the Guardians have struggled since the All-Star break. In contrast, the Cubs are on a five-game winning streak and are inching closer to a .500 winning percentage. Recent interleague matchups have been favorable for the Cubs, as they have won six of their last seven games against American League opponents. Going into the first game of the series on Monday, the Guardians have lost seven of their last nine games, with their only two wins coming against the Twins. Therefore, it is advisable to predict a Cubs victory on the road in this upcoming matchup.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]